LOOK again!!!

How do I look?

"But whosoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it- not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it- they will be blessed in what they do." James 1: 25 (NIV)

We all get that last look in the mirror before we embark on our social journeys. That last look is to ensure that we are looking the way we think we should- in tact and well put together.

What happens if we see that a strand of our hair is not laying the way it should? What happens if our mascara is smudged on one eye? If we looked in the mirror and saw that something about our appearance wasn't right, what would we do?

The answer is simple for most. We would go back and make the necessary changes in order to look our absolute best. In fact, some of us are so conscious of our appearance that we would risk being late for a meeting or function just so that we could "get it right."

The same goes for our spiritual selves. The word of God is our mirror. We must examine ourselves daily, sometimes more than once or twice. The same way we do a self-check in our mirrors before we leave our homes is the same way we should do a self-check according to our Bibles. Is there a "hair" that needs adjusting? Is your "mascara" smudged? The word of God will show you who you are and what you should look like.

The Bible says that you will know a tree by its fruit (Matthew 12:33). What kind of fruit do you bear? The fruits of the spirit are love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance. It is important that we look as good on the inside as we do on the outside. After all, God is not at all concerned with our outward appearance (1 Samuel 16:7). He is concerned, however, with our hearts.

Do you possess any of the above mentioned qualities? Maybe you have faith but no peace. Maybe you are meek but have no joy. God loves us so much that he desires for us to possess not some, but every fruit of the spirit. How do you obtain them? Just look in the mirror (the Bible).

The mirror shows a direct reflection of who you are. If you look in the mirror (the Bible) and see that something is not right, go back and adjust yourself accordingly. Keep adjusting until you get it right. James 1:25 encourages this very thing by saying to continue in it. Practice makes perfect, right? God is patient. You won't have to worry about him blowing the horn because you haven't come out yet. He won't be sitting on the couch huffing and puffing or looking at his watch every five minutes because you won't hurry up.

Remember: You should be judged by your fruit- not by the kind of makeup you have on. At the beginning, middle, and end of the day, you should look like your Creator. The best and only way to obtain that particular look is to "look intently in the perfect law". The word "intently" indicates a certain determination. To "look intently in the perfect law" shows that you are serious about your task/purpose. It means that you are not interested in being just a hearer of the word. Instead, it indicates that you want to DO what the word says do. That, Pretty Girls, is INTENSE!

Take another look in that mirror. What do you REALLY look like?

Until next time, Pretty Girls... xoxo

Clean Out Your Closet

What's in your closet? Do you have any items that can be given away? Are there items that need to be thrown away? Or, do you just need to reorganize what you have in there?

Show me a woman's closet and I'll tell you what kind of woman she is.

In every woman's closet, there are clothes and shoes that have not been worn in forever. In every woman's closet, there are clothes and shoes that we can no longer fit. And, in every woman's closet, there is that dress or top or pair of jeans that we are praying we will be able to fit AGAIN. Either way, it's time to Clean Out Your Closet!

Get rid of the old and unused. Make room for the new.
This may seem unnecessary or even hard for some because we figure that sooner or later, we will wear them at some point. We even figure that when we shed those extra pounds that we put on over the years, we will be able to fit our favorite skirt again. But it's time to let go. Seems a little too deep? Let's examine.

1 Corinthians 15: 46 (NIV) reads, "The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual." The natural (your physical closet) is a direct reflection of the spiritual (your spiritual closet as it pertains to God). If you are disorganized, filled with clutter, holding on to old things (baggage) that you have no use for in the natural, the same goes for you spiritually.

Out of your physical closet, you can be a blessing to someone less fortunate by donating those items that you don't want or can no longer wear. One of the characteristics of "true fasting" (Isaiah 58: 7) is to clothe the naked. In this scenario you are killing two birds with one stone by taking action in the physical that directly and positively affects your spirit man.

What about those old items that you have been holding onto for years? This can lead to clutter. It can also take up unnecessary space, leaving little or no room for things you actually do need. Let it go! In Philippians 3: 1, we our encouraged to forget the past and look forward to the future. Beside the shoes, clothes, and accessories in our closets, what are some things that we hold on to?

Past hurts, present failures, failed relationships, unforgiveness, bitterness, anger, envy, malice... the list can go on and on. Don't you think it's time to let all of that negative clutter go? Do you want to let it go but just don't know how? That's where God comes in. He is able to erase all of the bad and replace it with good. And ironically, guess where you can go to obtain help from the Lord? You guessed it!! YOUR CLOSET!!!

"But thou, when thou prayest, enter into THY CLOSET, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly." Matthew 6: 6 (KJV)

There is no time like the present. Why put off for tomorrow what you can do today? Clean out your closet, both physically and spiritually. Then, "enter into thy closet" daily to maintain your cleanliness.

Until next time, Pretty Girls... xoxo

May I Borrow Your Shoes?

 

We've heard the diamonds are a girls best friend. But I'm not so sure anymore. It seems that shoes have become a girls best friend.
Our closets are full and running over with shoes. Pumps, Stilettos,  Straps, Wedges, Flats and Boots. Girls just can't get enough of them. Let's face it! We LOVE shoes! (a little more than diamonds, I think)
I know that you can testify to how women not only size each other up by the clothes we wear, but also by the kind and style of shoe we wear as well. The right pair of shoes can bring any outfit together in a flash, turn heads in a crowded room, and make a woman feel like... well, a woman :-)
Besides wondering where another woman got her shoes or how much she's paid for them, have you ever thought what it would be like to walk in that woman's shoes? Just because a woman always has on  a gorgeous shoe doesn't necessarily mean she's had a gorgeous life. Or, just because a woman would rather shop at a lower end retail store and may prefer a more traditional shoe does not mean her life has been lacking.
Women are the strong! We overcome and endure all the time, from day to day.
Take a moment and reflect on the struggles you've had... when you didn't know if you were going to make it. Remember the nights you sat up crying and hoping for a better day. What about that heartbreak, when you didn't know if you'd ever love again?
Women share a unique characteristic: the ability to endure and overcome and come out looking good with a banging pair of pumps on to match their smile.
The next time you see a woman with some hot shoes on, try and mentally borrow her shoes. I guarantee you she doesn't look like what she's been through. Say a prayer for her to build her up spiritually and be sure to compliment her on those shoes! You have no idea what kind of journey the soles of her shoes have traveled.

Until next time, Pretty Girls... xoxo

The Movement

Women like looking good. Fashion and beauty has become such a big part of the lives of many young women. We want the latest and hottest bag, shoes, and designer clothes. We spend insurmountable amounts of money every week getting our nails and toes manicured, our eyebrows waxed, and our hair done. Let's face it! Women care how they look.
Personally I believe that all women should look presentable at all times. I can remember my mother fussing at me as a young girl. "Don't you ever go out of this house without your hair combed." "You should look neat at all times." Over time I have seen that a lot of young women's mothers told them the same thing! There is nothing wrong with taking care of yourself, nor having pride in how you look.
However, this last year has shown that women have become obsessive compulsive with the way they look. Women go out of their way to "keep up appearances". All you see on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are photos of shoes, photos of handbags, photos of Michael Kors watches, photos of makeup... the list goes on and on. To top that off, if a woman doesn't meet what is "good and acceptable" in the sight of the general public, they are belittled and made fun of for not being fashion-forward. This brings me to the scripture in "The Vision".
1 Timothy 2: 9-10 tells us that everything I mention in the previous paragraphs don't even matter if your heart isn't right. What you look like does not determine your status in the kingdom. Instead, what you do and if you live a life that is "good and acceptable" in the eyes of God is what really matters.
So let's do a heart check. Girl, you look good with your bad self! But when is the last time you prayed? Have you read and studied the word of God lately? If Jesus returned today, would your heart be right enough to go with him, or would you be "left behind" with your Gucci bag, Louboutin shoes and freshly manicured nails?
There is absolutely nothing wrong with looking your best. It is definitely a blessing to be able to afford the nicer things in life. Women should be presentable and beautiful at all times. Aside from that though, just be sure that your heart and spirit are just as presentable and beautiful as your outer appearance.

Til the next time, Pretty Girls... xoxo